JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – Rory McIlroy didn’t get to the practice until around 30 minutes before his second-round tee time at the PGA Championship.

McIlroy’s absence raised the specter the reigning U.S. Open champion might withdraw, rather than risk further injury to his right wrist.

McIlroy hurt himself when he hit a tree root left of the fairway on No. 3 and gutted out an even-par 70.

With his right forearm heavily taped, McIlroy teed off at 8:35 a.m. to begin an up-and-down day that ended with the 22-year-old from Northern Ireland 3-over par and just inside the projected cut line.

McIlroy opened with a three-putt bogey on the 10th hole, but bounced back with a birdie on par-5 12th hole. A birdie at the par-4 16th moved McIlroy to 1-under, but he made triple-bogey on the par-3 17th hole and never recovered.

“It was a frustrating day to say the least,” he said.

McIlroy, who was diagnosed with a strained tendon, said it was difficult to put his wrist out of his mind.

“I won’t say it’s painful, but it’s always in the back of your mind,” he said.

McIlroy said he wasn’t in as much pain as Thursday, but unconsciously protected his wrist on certain swings Friday, especially when he had to dig the ball out of the rough.

He still managed to hit 13 of 18 greens in regulation, but was undone by the shot with the lest physical impact – putting. McIlroy needed 33 putts, and missed a two-footer for par, a five-footer for birdie, and a four-footer for double bogey on his first nine holes.

If not for Steve Stricker’s near-record round of 63 or Tiger Woods’ collapse and ensuing 77, McIlroy the right wrist of reigning U.S. Open champion Rory McIlroy would have been the story 18 holes into the PGA Championship.

It was a pretty amazing round, given McIlroy spent much of the day grimacing and letting go of the club with his right hand as he finished his swing.

In between shots, McIlroy iced his wrist and met several times with trainers, who assured him he could do no further damage, then taped up the injured area.

With all the distraction and pain, McIlory managed to post a lower score. But the course at Atlanta Athletic Club also is ceding far fewer low scores on Day Two.